Injectables replacing inr testing and warfarin

[Cinn987]

Hiya. Hope u all doing ok. I'm on 6 weeks climbing walls and talking to myself. Normally test every 10 days.. Gp says leave it 6 to 8 weeks. The staff doing my INR tests have not been tested and I wouldn't feel safe going in at the moment. Would anyone k ow if I injected myself at home with tinzaparin or whichever would that save me having my INR done and keep me safe until situation eases and gp staff are all tested??. Thankyou

[HollyHeski Administrator]

Hi, it is dangerous to mix tinzaparin with warfarin. So please dont self medicate.

All the clinics are trying to protect patient and staff at the moment.

Please contact your GP with your concerns and discuss your options.

[Cinn987 in reply to HollyHeski]

Oh no. Maybe I haven't expressed myself clearly. I don't feel safe going into surgery for my INR. I'm wondering whether to ask GP if instead of warfarin and what I consider to be risky contact,could he prescribe some form of injectables so I can do them at home rather than have the risk of going into clinic with an untested nurse or home visit nurse who has been in contact with possible positive patients going from house to house... I am shielding. Thankyou for your response

[HollyHeski Administrator in reply to Cinn987]

Ok maybe we misunderstood but your fear is real?!!

Just explain this to your GP, and hopefully he/she will reassure you that they are doing everything to protect you.

Changing now could be even more precarious to you.

[Fra22-57]

If you are on shielding list ask for a District nurse to visit you.I do and they wear masks ,gloves and apron.I feel alot safer

[Cinn987 in reply to Fra22-57]

Thank you for replying. That's the trouble, I don't feel safe having someone come near me who is treating people who may have covid,whether it be in GP surgery or home visit.

.that's why I thought perhaps I could inject at home therefore not needing to have contact with anyone . I'm due to speak to Gp Monday. Just wondered if there was anyone who had gone down this route

I assume it means I won't need INR testing ????

[MaryF Administrator]

Hi, if you are unable to reach your clinic or GP by phone, do consider sending and email expressing your concerns, please don't self medicate, it would be a dangerous thing to do, we understand your fears and I am hoping you get some swift answers. MaryF

[GinaD]

Have you no other testing options? I usually get my INR done at a local hospital, but as I asked for options. my GP suggested I come into her office at lunch time when no other patients would be there. I did, I wore a mask, and hand sanitized before and after in the car. That was this past Monday, so... so far, all is well.

[Jumper99]

I asked Prof Beverley Hunt about injections being as safe as warfarin. Her reply was that it depends on the patient. So you would need to talk to your consultant before changing to injections. I doubt if your GP would change your medication without being asked to by your consultant. Have you done injections before? If not, then you will need to be taught how to do them.

GPs surgeries and hospitals are safe places to go. GPs don’t treat people with COVID, you are not allowed to go to the surgery if you have symptoms. You can’t just walk in to the surgeries anymore. Confirm with them that they will wear masks and gloves. They will only break social distancing while doing the blood test. They are the people who know best how to keep people safe, they don’t want to take risks either. Talk to them and find out their procedures. If you’re not happy with the surgery procedure then also phone the hospital. Hospitals are still running for patients without COVID-19, people are in ordinary wards and A&E and having blood tests if they really need them, the COVID-19 patients will be under the strictest isolation possible. Other people have asked if they can come in early for the test so would be the first people there that day so everything would be freshly disinfected etc.

I am unsure what you were leaving for 6 to 8 weeks. If you meant before your next INR test then I would expect us to be firmly on the downward slope of infection rates and to see lockdown eased by then.

[Cinn987 in reply to Jumper99]

Thankyou. Its been 4 weeks now so 2 maybe 3 more to go. Last time they did it in GP surgery car park. First patient. Arm out of window. Mask and gloves. Wore mask and gloves myself. Stripped my clothes off at door. Straight in wash. Shoes left outside. Then i showered. I was so anxious I cancelled the first one.. then I was shaking for this one. Not very well afterwards and worried for 15 days, counting the days off

[Wittycjt]

I am sorry you are so afraid - this is daunting for us all

[AnneTS]

I would definitely speak to your Consultant about your concerns. I would definitely not mix my anticoagulants . Have you ever thought about buying a Coaguchek monitoring machine and self-testing? In that way you can phone in your INR results to your normal clinic and get the dosage adjusted whenever necessary.

[Cinn987 in reply to AnneTS]

Thankyou yes

I was loaned a coagucheck. Side by side testing for 2 months resulted in total unreliability unfortunately. I had hoped so much

[veganworld]

I agree with annels comments above. I have a self testing machine and I just ring the result in every few weeks. It is the same as they use at the hospital and GP surgery so very reliable. Its proving brilliant at the moment. Also the advice you have been given about hospitals being safe is correct. My son works in A and E and is treating Covid patients and they are kept well away in a special zone both in A and E and on the ward. They don't go anywhere near the outpatient clinics. Completely understand your concerns though.

Take care

Kaz x

[Jumper99 in reply to veganworld]

Finger prick testing is not reliable for all APS patients. You have to check the machine reading to a venous sample on 3 different occasions and get a similar reading on the two different types of test. Only then can you rely on the finger prick testing results.

[Cinn987 in reply to Jumper99]

Thankyou. My nurse and I did venus and fingerprick side by side testing for 2 months. It was miles out but happy my Gp supported my trial

[nossib]

My GP has arranged fora phlebotamist from Med lab to come to my home to take a blood test for my INR. It will be every 4 weeks but of course if it is showing tooo low or too high they will return earlier to take again.

I would normally have a finger prick test at my Pharmacist but this entails more people contact, so am grateful Med lab will come to me.

The phlebotamist had gloves and a mask on.

[Cinn987 in reply to nossib]

Thanks for replying. Stay safe

[Vespa1]

My husband is the same. He was given 8 weeks supply of warfarin which was 4 weeks ago now. Usually tested every 2 if stable. Our hope is that testing for the virus will be greater by then making it safer to go in for INR tests. Switching at this time might not be the best solution but stick with what you know works.

[Cinn987 in reply to Vespa1]

Do you know.... I came to that conclusion myself. GP rang says go in we have a room we keep for this and use back door. Well until they are tested I won't be wanting to be inside...I'll hang on.. and hope like you and your hubby. Thankyou for your reply